![2018: Springtime Shenanigans! 2018: Springtime Shenanigans!](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/190/1905692/2018-springtime-shenanigans-L-gMUu5L.jpeg)
Exiting Beijing on the night train to Changchun felt like I was escaping everything, arriving in the early morning I explored the city to my hearts content. I found the former Puppet Emperors gaff, those former lavish furnishings impressed me much. Being in a city that I had previously shunned felt correct, I used that weekend to correct those foolish mistakes. Fuelling my stomach with some hearty Japanese stew I knew the night ahead was going to be full of scandal and realness. Changchun gave me a place to slay, I luxuriated in that moment to not give a damn because things had been so damn crazy! Changchun allowed me exploration, something that being so dog tired in Beijing, I was thankful for Changchun's efforts. Changchun showed me some Japanese colonial realness and I even helped a Chinese junkie buy breakfast! Seeing what I needed I returned back to Beijing as the Tomb Sweeping Holiday concluded. I knew the next month I would be setting off to Suzhou, J!
![2018: Springtime Shenanigans! 2018: Springtime Shenanigans!](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/190/1905692/2018-springtime-shenanigans-L-lapz08.jpeg)
On the odd weekends I broke out of my routine, dressing in my best tee and trousers I would take a taxi down to Destination to dance my cares away! I had gone there after getting back from my Shenzhen-Xiamen Spring Festival holiday, I managed to get on quite well as I navigated the dance floor with confidence. Beijing so far had been mad, the springtime had been something else, I was riding a pure rollercoaster! Turning a negative into a positive, a princess entered my class, of Chinese and Australian parentage she knew she was beautiful and that confidence gave me life for certain! My class gave me challenges but I was applying my training to the fullest, my brain was mashed but I put my 100 into that space, the parents never gave me flack because their kids were happy but there are always haters. That person will know in time that I wasn't playing games! I had faith in what I was doing, something would give and I knew what was going to happen next was right! Go!
![2018: Springtime Shenanigans! 2018: Springtime Shenanigans!](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/190/1905692/2018-springtime-shenanigans-L-5UiR6E.jpeg)
The springtime shenanigans might have been docile and professional but I made sure I got my own time during those months. Throughout that time I experienced a very different spring to the ones I had in Wuhan but those were my training years, getting my things together here I was able to shutdown those rough times. Slipping away into town had to be done from time to time, those three trips grounded me with the chance to get away from Beijing because all I saw it for was work and training. I look forward to the summer to enjoy that season with more free time, but for all those missed weekends I can shock the lead teachers I work with, my Montessori talent might shock them? With a possible move beginning in August, I am ready for something more familiar. I already know I didn't come to play, but I didn't come to play to sacrifice my life, getting things into perspective as the summer makes an appearance I've got this! Beijing, you're out of your mind! Talk to me later B!
Shenanigans!
Joseph Harrison